With the premiere of Hawkeye just a week away and last night’s amazing red carpet launch, many Marvel fans are wondering who exactly Kate Bishop is. Comic book fans most likely know at least a little about her, but MCU fans may be a bit unsure of who she is, especially in relation to Hawkeye.
In the comics
Comic book Kate Bishop comes from a wealthy Manhattan family and practically worships her father. Her mother, on the other hand, is estranged. Kate soon finds out that her father isn’t the perfect man and, after being saved by the Avengers, places the role model mantle upon Clint Barton.
Kate is mainly known for being a member of the Young Avengers and even leads the team at some points. She and Hawkeye don’t truly meet until the first civil war when Hawkeye takes Captain America’s shield and uniform after the hero is killed. Kate berates him, which earns her Hawkeye’s respect as well as his original bow and arrows. He then officially blesses her with the Hawkeye name.
Since then, the two have remained close, with Clint continuing to be Kate’s mentor and role model. As the new Hawkeye, Kate takes over the mantle with the Young Avengers and continues her duties as a hero.
In the series
As for the new Hawkeye series, it seems that some changes have been made to Kate’s history, though her relationship with Clint looks to be relatively the same. Instead of her father playing such a large role, we know that Vera Farmiga will play her mother via the multiple trailers we’ve seen so far. It seems like the two will have a good relationship, but we don’t yet now how Kate’s father will factor into the series, if at all.
Plus, Kate is already trained and amazing with the bow and arrow, and in the comics she worked to hone her skills and learn to fight. While there seem to be some differences between comics Kate Bishop and MCU Kate Bishop, her stubborn personality and blunt delivery seem to remain intact.
So what exact relationship do Clint and Kate have on the show? It looks like Clint will still be Kate’s role model and mentor, with Kate looking up to him and admiring him for being an Avenger even though he’s a human without superpowers.
There’s no doubt that Hailee Steinfeld will kill it in the role of Kate Bishop, but it’ll be interesting to see all of the changes Marvel has made for the MCU version of her character. From her mother playing a big role in her life to Kate and Clint meeting earlier than they do in the comics, it will be like a brand new origin story for Kate.
How do you feel about the changes made for the Hawkeye series? Are there specific scenes from the comics that you’re hoping to see play out on the show? Tell us below!